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There is little data to support giving symptom-free people electrocardiograms to screen for heart disease, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. USPSTF in 2004 refused to recommend ECGs as a screening tool for healthy patients, and in updating its report the panel said there have been no clinical trials that look at whether ECGs lead to fewer cardiac events or prolong lives.

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The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening all adults and teens who are at an increased risk for syphilis, including those with HIV and gay and bisexual men. Almost 20,000 cases of the earliest stages of the sexually transmitted disease were reported in the US in 2014, the highest rate since 1994.

The US Preventive Services Task Force said there is not enough scientific evidence to evaluate the risks and benefits and make a recommendation on routine screening for iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women or young children. The task force, which published its statements in both the Annals of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, said it also could not make a recommendation on iron supplements for pregnant women.

A literature review released ahead of final recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found type 2 diabetes screening in asymptomatic patients does not improve survival over 10 years, although it's possible there is a longer-term mortality benefit. However, screening for and treating impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance could stem progression to diabetes, according to the evidence, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It's not clear when the final guidelines will be released.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on Monday issued draft recommendations that said screening healthy, symptom-free patients for vitamin D deficiency does not have clear health benefits and is not recommended for routine medical care. The panel also said there was not enough evidence to recommend against screening and advised testing be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has called on primary care physicians to screen all women of childbearing age for indications of domestic violence and make treatment referrals if needed. Screening can identify domestic violence in 62% to 96% of cases, and data show women who are screened are more apt to discuss the issue with their doctors. The recommendations appear in the Annals of Internal Medicine.